Category Archives: News

How hot? An analyst who monitors the tobacco industry recently said a “conservative” estimate puts their annual sales at $1.7 billion. That’s about double the sales last year.

Why are electronic cigarettes such a growth area?

The easiest explanation is that there are a great many people who are tired of smoking cigarettes, but are not quite ready to give the process of smoking up entirely. Nicotine, of course, is addictive, but that is not the whole story. People could get a nicotine “bump” from patches or gum, but for lots of smokers and former smokers, that is not quite enough.

Many people who have smoked cigarettes say that there is a ritual to it. Taking a cigarette break can feel like a five-minute vacation, and there is something about the process of taking out a cigarette, lighting it and inhaling that feels calming. If you’ve ever heard someone who is trying to quit smoking remark that he or she doesn’t know what to do with his or her hands without a cigarette, this feeling is missing something is what that person is referring to.

For lots of former smokers, e-cigarettes still provide that ritual, meaning they don’t have to deal with a sense of deprivation. Most brands of e-cigarette contain nicotine, and that helps stave off feelings of irritability or withdrawal.

If you’re trying to quit smoking, there are many brands that offer electronic cigarettes (see list of brands here) and they might be an option for you to consider. They have proven to be a good choice for a many ex-smokers.

Following the lead in American tobacco giant P. Lorillard, who bought into the electronic cigarettes manufacturing realm for $135 million earlier this year, a British e-cigarette company is now producing its own brand and is looking for even greater expansion. With the intriguing company name Totally Wicked, the company’s marketing strategy seems totally focused on protecting its future supply by manufacturing its own product.

A new growth-focused approach

A September 12, 2012, a press release notes that that has been “plenty of coverage” on the health issues and controversy surrounding e-cigarettes, but what about possible future shortages? The e-cigarette industry is expanding at an explosive rate of 500 percent per year. In Great Britain alone, the cigarette brands will have a customer base of at least one million.

Safeguarding against future electronic cigarette shortages

What better way to protect future supplies than and safeguard against scarcity than to make their own product and not rely on Chinese suppliers? Then there’s the issue of inevitable government regulation and critics’ concerns about standardizing manufacturing and design of e-cigarettes. When legislator’s finally come up with specifics standards, Totally Wicked UK intends to be ready to meet the standards, again, without relying on outside supplies.

A Northern England concern

Employing over 30 people in their head office in Blackburn (northern England) the company also operates three retail outlets across Lancashire. In a partnership that would probably raise some antismoking lobbyist hackles in this country, Totally Wicked is working closely with a local university in developing their electronic engineering and design.

Forward looking and getting ready for regulation

The company has no pretensions when it comes to why they want to sell the top e-cigarette brand in the UK. They want to entice smokers towards the optimum alternative to tobacco smoking with the highest quality nicotine and flavors. They are simply into making smoking enjoyable.

Demonstrating a forward-looking approach, they also intend to continue their involvement with regulators (the FDA, for example) and be a part of the process to develop realistic e-cigarette regulations.

Mirroring P. Lorillard’s approach

As the electronic cigarettes brand manufacturing takes root in the UK, as has been the case with American obstacles to bringing the e-cigarette mainstream, prospects for realistic product regulation should improve. Chinese manufacturers are not subject to pressures of consumer or government influence in product safety and standardization. P Lorillard and Totally Wicked UK, on the other hand are already part of the solution.

Want more information on the growing world of electronic cigarette brands and news? Keep reading this blog as it will grow and keep you up-to date.